Voronwe's Pacific Rim Review: Seid ihr das Essen? Nein, wir sind der Jäeger!

Pacific Rim

Directed by Guillermo Del Toro.

Rated PG in Canada, 12A in the United Kingdom, and PG-13 in the United States, for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence throughout, and brief language.

I feel the need to preface this review with a confession about myself: I am hard-wired to nitpick.

It's not something I'm always proud of. There are many works of cinema, literature, and games that I really want to love and go nuts over, but so often there are just those nagging issues within that prevent me from enjoying them as much as I want to. Minor things like an inconsistency in sci-fi technology, an underdeveloped character, a poorly choreographed action sequence, a cheesy romance; issues that to many moviegoers, do not and should not matter. 

'Tis a far better thing, in my view, to accentuate the positive. There are flawed works with so much good in them; and alas, my mind forces me to feel those nagging flaws even as I talk about the wondrous aspects.

Why can't I be like a little child again? My heart filled with youthful, boyish wonder at the sight of a mighty dragon, a giant robot, a well-choreographed sword fight, a funny or just plain likeable character -- the simple joy of being wrapped up in a story that has some issues, yes, but remains brimming with heart, excitement, and that unidentifiable "awesomeness factor".

Pacific Rim is the movie that freed me from my curse.

On the surface, there are some logical fallacies and pacing issues, but I simply can't bring myself to care when all that sticks out in my mind are the surprisingly likeable, if stock, characters, and the epic scale of the action and story.

The story begins with a lengthy backstory describing how the giant monsters we named Kaiju (japanese for monster) suddenly emerged from a dimensional rift in the Pacific ocean, subsequently spreading mass destruction, and prompting the people of earth to build giant mechs called Jaeger (german for "hunter") to fight them off before they destroy us all.

After a stunning and emotionally involving opening battle that I won't spoil, the film spends much time focusing on the characters and minutia involved in the Jaeger program, with very little action for the first third. This lull didn't bother me much, as despite the fact that the characters *are* somewhat generic (the haggard commander, the young hero, his love interest and co-pilot, the wacky scientists) they were nevertheless incredibly likeable and well-written. The character of Mako Mori (played by Rinko Kikuchi) in particular had a fascinating backstory, and was well-worth the time they devoted to it.

I would also like to comment on the romance aspect of this film, and how well it was handled. Where most action films like this would use it merely as a token aspect of the film, replete with cheesiness and far too much physical interaction between the two characters, here, it is carried mainly through their learning from each other and sharing their memories as they battle the Kaiju together. In a big departure from most Hollywood romances, they don't even kiss. The only major physical display of affection is a single hug.

Well… there was also that scene where they engaged in an intense bout of hand-to-hand combat… Even so!

Of, course, none of these are the main reason most people, myself included, saw the film. The real draw is seeing giant monsters fighting giant robots, and when the movie gets there, it does not disappoint.

The action scenes are enormously impressive in scale, very tense, very creative, and overall, I could not have asked for much more out of them. They do get (surprise) rather violent, and I can definitely empathize with people who will avoid the movie because of it. They are nevertheless very, very impressive, and true to the kind of action to be expected of the mecha animes that clearly inspired it.

It's not for everyone, and it won't be taking home any oscars, but for anyone that loves a well-written action-sci-fi film with likeable characters and an epic scale should give it a watch.

Anything that can get me to stop nitpicking for two-hours is well worth celebrating.

"Seid ihr das Essen? Nein, wir sind der Jäeger!" 
("Are we the prey? No, we are the hunters!")

BBC Sherlock

I've been putting off writing this review because when I write reviews about things that I really love, it feels like I'm just fangirling about the chosen subject for several paragraphs.
However, I am now going to attempt to write a decent review of this show without geeking out on you all (too much).

I first discovered Sherlock in January of 2011, just a few months after the first series aired. At that point, I was already a big Sherlock Holmes fan from reading the books, but had been greatly disappointed with the only on-screen adaption I had seen thus far, that being the 2009 movie starring Robert Downey Jr. (I will be going further into that in another review).
I was instantly intrigued by the idea of a present day adaption and watched all three of the episodes in the first series. I loved it.

The casting was perfect, the character portrayal was very well done and tweaked just the right amount to fit into the modern setting, and even though every episode was based on one or more stories from the original canon, the plots were cleverly done and changed enough to make it as much of a mystery for old Holmesians and new watchers alike.
Holmes and Watson are wonderfully acted by Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. They have great chemistry onscreen and it's a pleasure to watch them play out the famous friendship and partnership between their characters.

As far as ratings and age appropriateness go, it is rated 14A and I suggest keeping to that rating.
Several characters are shown using various weapons. There is some language, smoking, and references to drug use. There are also some scenes in episode one of series two that have suggestive content, and episode two of that same series has some scenes that could be frightening for younger children.

I honestly could say so much about this fantastic show, but I think it's best to let Sherlock speak for itself. I don't want to give away any spoilers.
As a whole, the show is brilliantly done and I highly recommend it to anyone.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (No Spoilers)

When I first saw an advertisement on the television for this new series, I must say I was instantly excited and interested in what they were going to do with it. I was not disappointed.

First of all, I'd like to make my opinion known on a subject that I've already seen some negative feed from. The fact that they brought Agent Coulson back honestly did not
bother me in the slightest. I thought it was a clever move on their part to have an already well-established and well-liked character to start with, something that any good spin-off should have anyways. I look forward to seeing how that story line will play out.

My overall impression of the first episode was that I felt satisfied with it. I was pleased with how they started, and was already interested and invested in the various characters by the end of the 45 minutes. A promising start.

The clever and witty dialogue was very enjoyable. Seeing some more of the inner workings of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the day to day stuff that happens after all the supers have headed back to Stark Tower, Asgard, etc. was pleasing to see, as well as quite a few shiny new gadgets for the sci-fi and tech geeks to appreciate.

The one thing which threw me a bit was the few instances where there was stronger language than I had anticipated. This being a television show rather than a movie, they do have a bit more freedom in that area.

All in all, I liked what I saw, and I am definitely going to be watching the upcoming episodes.

Guns of Icarus

This review was created by my brother, I asked his permission to share it here.
He also has his own blog with his gaming ideas and projects from his school at VFS (Vancouver Film School) here. Firmus

Please enjoy, and as usual; thanks for reading. 

   I just started playing the Guns of Icarus online, and I must say that it is probably one of the best team based games I have played yet. I must admit that I have not played many team games, but the ones that I have played made me feel like my team was just multiple people wanting the same thing and running around on their own, or in pairs to get it done rather than being one unit. in this game teems consist of two or more dirigibles, and each one has 4 people on it. Unlike other games, a single person does not carry the whole team, but all of the players must work in unison to get the job done. Each person is crucial, there is the Pilot: who steers the dirigible in and out of combat, the Gunner: who mans the different guns on the dirigible, and the Mechanics: who run around fixing the ship, and who man the guns when needed. Each job on the dirigible is fun too; I have just as much fun being a mechanic, and flying or shooting.

*in short, Guns of Icarus is a great game.

City of Bones Movie

   My expectations were low for this movie, and the real reason I had gone to it was for my younger sister and friends. To my surprise and enjoyment I found this movie very well done.
   I have not read the book for this series, and my only knowledge of it is a friend who told me it is very accurate to the book with some of her favorite quotes.
   My negative feedback is one major problem parents should look for. There are slight hints here and there, and then Clary (the protagonist) implies outright about one of the characters being gay, which he is. That did set me off and I wonder what the world is coming to when we even have gays in our movies.
   It can be rather violent with slaying of monsters they call "demons" and can be very scary for younger viewers, although I would not rate it as high as the X-men movies when it comes to violence.
   One more thing to watch out for is that near the beginning Clary's mother uses Jesus' name in vain. I only caught it that one time otherwise it is a clean speaking movie.
 

 It is a fast action movie, with terrific graphics, and set design. The costumes were very creative and the characters were well picked for their parts.
   The movie does take a twist that I did not predict to my enjoyment, and kept a good pace all the way to the end. It really drew out our imagination and had humor we could laugh out right at. 

   I would definitely say younger kids should not watch this movie, but is something teens can enjoy and be drawn into the world, as long as they are careful not to accept the world view of "Believing in yourself," and being gay is okay. 

Thanks for reading.

Divergent: Different

   I have read the first book of the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth. At first I thought it far too similar to Suzanne Collins Hunger Games trilogy: Based sometime in the future. The government was corrupt so sections of people were created. The protagonist is a teenage girl that hardly knows anything about what is going on. With those similarities, the rest is all different and more to my liking. 

    What were not very much appreciated from a Christian view was the all the killing and deaths. Some of it I realized was unavoidable, some of the deaths actually happen in real life now a days and can be understandably put in. However when there is a gun in a fourteen year old girls hand, shooting people, I cringe. Some of the deaths she caused I believe could have been avoidable, thus sparking my dislike.
   My second disapproving remark would be the kissing. Lots of lovey-dovey kissing whenever possible, that I am sure could have been left out.
   Now on to the good stuff.
   I did approve -to my surprise- the love interest. At first I thought the inevitable love triangle would appear, but Miss Veronica snatches that away quickly. The love interest between out protagonist "Tris" and an older boy called Four, do not spend an annoyingly long time figuring out they like each other. So besides all the smooching it was rather touching to see-I mean read. 

   My second compliment would be for the protagonist Tris, as she is called. She is not overly beautiful or tall. She is just like any normal girl. She knows she is not perfect (Not just in looks) and that she is hard to deal with, making her a character a lot of girls can enjoy and relate to.
   Lastly I would like to say cheers to the creator of this world, Veronica Roth. Unlike the Hunger Games which looked to be sloppily put together, Miss Veronica delved deeper. I learned that she actually studied in college to be a creative writer, which gave her the writing style and skills something to appreciate.
  

 On a side note coming from a regular classic books reader I would say Veronica Roth has been one of the best popular modern writers I have read that I really enjoy, and I look forward to reading the next two books in the Divergent cycle, Insurgent and Allegiant. 

     Thanks for reading.

Hamlet (aka. Shakespeare is Still Cool)

I find it a very sad and disappointing thing that so many people don't want to read Shakespeare anymore. They think Shakespeare is dull, pointless and not interesting... Really?
Hamlet is a great example of the brilliance of Shakespeare. If you think that Hamlet is all about death and "gosh it must be such a depressing book, and doesn't the guy go mad in the end?", that is not what it's all about. Hamlet's character is actually very funny, he has a great (if slightly odd sometimes) sense of humor and I laughed out loud many times while reading the book. And the beginning of the grave-digger scene? Hilarious.
The various characters in the story are so fascinating to follow and have many facets that do not become obvious until you dig a little into the work . You see new things from every different perspective you try, and some things you will never be completely certain about because you simply aren't supposed to be.
Yes, the main themes of the book are darker; lust, murder, revenge, etc.. But there are other elements that add to the story and make for a very good read.

Many people who would pick up and try to read a Shakespeare play today may not enjoy it because the older styled writing and strange words would make it hard for them to understand the book. I can understand that, it takes a while to get used to. If that is the case, just go to a bookstore and pick up a modern English copy. Many of them even have the original script on one side and the modern on the other to better help you understand it. You will be able to read through the whole play easily and maybe afterwards you'll want to go back and read the original.

For myself, I strongly suggest that everyone reads at least one play written by Shakespeare during their life, and Hamlet is certainly a good place to start.

On another note, if you are interested in seeing a unique a very well done adaption of Hamlet, try the BBC's Royal Shakespeare Company version starring David Tennant. It's done in a really neat style and I highly recommend it.

Dedicated to Miss Louisa M Alcott: From a Great Admirer

"I'm not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."

                           Louisa M Alcott

     I have admired Louisa May Alcott and her novels greatly and I would like to share with you why that is.
     Miss Louisa is vastly known for her work Little Women and Little Men. I fell in love with these books a few years back and to my great astonishment and joy I discovered she had written many more novels and stories besides, in her time. Jo's Boys, Old Fashioned Girl, Eight Cousins, and Rose in Bloom being only a few titles to her name.
     I admire Miss Louisa for the lessons she teaches, cleverly placed within her pages, and within her characters themselves. Her character insight was marvelous, and even though she never married nor had any brothers, she seemed to understand men and boys just as well as women and girls. She could see the core of human nature and displayed it splendidly in her books. She challenges, not only her make-believe characters, but also her readers to improve and to try to do better and more with themselves.
     For a beginner starting to read, the classic books, Miss Louisa's tales can be a bit difficult to read, at first. The odd-old words and the old writing style can be a particular obstacle they would have to climb, but if one was to push on they would find Miss Louisa's books a fun and educational, to a certain degree.

     A short background story on Miss Louisa: she was born November 29^th, 1832. Her father Amos Branson Alcott was a firm believer in children following their dreams. He was considered odd for he encouraged girls, as well as the boys, to be independent. It was a new concept in those days for women to strike out on their own, and work for themselves. Miss Louisa loved her father and mother, Abby Alcott and learned much from her parents teaching, along with her three other Sisters Abigail, Anna, and Elizabeth, all of them being models for the March sisters in Little Women.
     Her first published work at the age of 22 was entitled Flower Fables, not one of her most popular works, but one that paved a way to her writing career. In her day and age a female author was strange and questioned very much, so her penname was A.M Barnard, and was what she used for most (if not all) her published works. In 1863 she volunteered as a nurse for the Union Army during the American civil war, where she collected the material for Hospital Sketches. After the war she wanted to provide for her family, and so wrote stories to earn money. This was when her most popular tales were created.

     I hope your curiosity is peaked and that someday you will pick up a classic book by the author Miss Louisa M Alcott. Even men and boys could enjoy her world in Little Men.
     To send you off I will end with one of my favorite quotes of hers. 

"....A love for good books is one of the best safeguards a man could have."

Eight Cousins: Good Bargains.
By, Louisa M Alcott

     Thanks for reading, and I hope to find a Miss Louisa fan out there like me, since I have never seen one as of yet.

Hunger Games Rant

   The Hunger Games (By Suzanne Collins) is unique in that I have never read a book or watched a movie where teens kill each other and people enjoy it.

   I have never watched the movie but have read all three books, so my review will be entirely based on the books.
   To start off, the writing technique the author chose is odd and hard to catch on to for frequent book readers. She used present tense and first person, which is very different in that it is impractical. If the author was using it as a way to stand out I almost think it is the wrong way to go.
   The main protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, is not a character most people can relate to. She was in a way selfish, very rude and acted very spoiled despite a hard up bringing. Some might say she has a right to act the way she does, because of the circumstance she was in, but I disagree and say she should be more responsible and understanding for her poverty, not grouchy and stuck up.
   To go along with my disappointment upon Katniss is the love triangle created around her. (I will avoid using names for the sake of spoilers). Even though the author tried to create suspense and perhaps hope for one of her suitors, it was clear by most readers who Katniss would pick as a lover. Making the rest of the drama almost annoying and pitiful, and leaving the readers pitying the tag-along who had no chance with Katniss.
   The Hunger Games itself was revolting to even think about. To think teens are thrown into an arena to kill each other does not sound appealing. To be fair the author did explain from Katniss' point of view her disdain and disgust towards the game. However I can not see how teens enjoy reading about it so much; as if they wish to be apart of it. I do not really know if that is what fans are thinking, but that is the idea I get when I am speaking with them.
    Now on a brighter note. It has been asked of me, despite my clear dislike of this trilogy, who is my favorite character? I have to say it is Haymitch. That is right, the drunk mentor Katniss, and Peeta Mellark are stuck with. His part in the hunger games is to try and keep the two of them alive in the games for as long as possible. he is the only character I like, even though he drinks, he has common sense, and morals that I always look for in characters. He always was trying to do what was best for Katniss even when she pretty much spat in his face for her own prideful and stubborn reasons, (her reasoning made no sense to me either).
   A last note is the ending of this tale, even though Katniss ends with a happily ever after, I would still claim this story a tragedy. To many good characters died near to the end, where you are trying to keep up with all that is going on. The U-turn the author makes in the last few chapters, when Katniss was supposed to kill the main antagonist, but than doesn't and instead a whole new circumstance arises, totally threw me around wondering why it all changed so quickly.
 
   If you are still curious about this Hunger Games trilogy, even though I strongly suggest against it, I would advice you to just watch the movie (soon to be movies). I am told by many sources it is accurate to the book. So save yourself the hours and just watch the movie(s).

Thanks for reading, and tolerating my overly judgmental opinion.

Voronwe's Rantlike Review of Star Trek Into Darkness.

You know, they say never to judge a book by its cover. Historically, I've been pretty good at keeping an open mind about books, movies, and games until I've seen/played/read them (being part of a fanbase that celebrates candy-coloured equines learning lessons about friendship helps to remind one of that).

That said, the title of this motion picture was throwing me for several loops for months prior to its release. Star Trek Into Darkness… It just struck me as a bit redundant. If one is trekking into the stars, well, yeah, obviously it's going to be dark. Space tends to be that way.

My suggestion would be to toss in a colon: Star Trek: Into Darkness. Thusly not implying that our good characters are Star Trekking Into Darkness, but rather that the story itself would be some sort of descent into the dimly lit bowels of mysterious conspiracies of evilness.

Fortunately, this is pretty much what the story wound up being.

As both a moviegoer and a long-time trekker, Star Trek (COLON) Into Darkness was an excellent film that earns high marks both as a stand-alone Star Trek story, and as a sequel.

One of the things that I was concerned about going in was that the story would take a backseat to the action. There's no doubt that J.J. Abrams has created a much more crowd-pleasing action-packed incarnation of Trek. 

Thankfully, though there was some off-putting fan-service (Carol Marcus in her underwear was a particularly pointless scene. Given Dr. Marcus's role in the classic movies, I think that Kirk's attraction to her could have been conveyed with more subtlety and human emotion. As opposed to his simply admiring her physical attractiveness) this is still a movie with great comedy and some very poignant character-driven drama, bolstered by performances I felt had only gotten stronger from the first film to the second.

Chris Pine's Kirk and Zachary Quinto's Spock continue to have an excellent dynamic, with some really good conversations about the nature of vulcan emotional suppression and how that affects Spock's friendship with Kirk, his relationship with Uhura, and his ability to deal with fear and loss. The vulcan psyche has always been a deceptively complex issue in the Star Trek universe, and I was pleased to see it returning as a core focus in the story.

And of course, there's good 'ol Sherlock Holmes himself: Benedict Cumberbatch, as the film's villain, John Harrison. This is the work that I hope solidifies him as a bearer of the greatest ability an actor can possess. A superpower that I like to call "The Sean Connery Factor". Or, to be more descriptive, the ability to single-handedly elevate the quality of anything he appears in.

Without giving away any spoilers, his portrayal of John Harrison creates such an intimidating presence, just as much for his prowess as a savage beast in battle as for his sheer intelligence, that it more than makes up for the first movie's fun but forgettable villain.

Now, there are a few minor plotholes dotted here and there, as well as a few continuity issues that, as a trekker, got to me a lot more than they should have (The Enterprise didn't have seatbelts until the late 24th century. This film takes place in the mid 23rd) but I think the most divisive thing about Star Trek: Into Darkness, will be the last 30 minutes of it's run.

Again, without giving any spoilers away, the movie takes full advantage of its alternate universe setting to recreate some scenes from the classic series with a few alternate history twists thrown in. People new to the series probably won't think anything of it, but as a fan, I can only imagine trekkers either finding it completely amazing… or feel horribly distracted and betrayed.

For my part, I absolutely loved it, and when combined with a great cameo by Leonard Nimoy as Spock Prime, it really gave me a good feeling that the continuity I know and love still has a presence here. 

All in all, Star Trek DASH COLON APOSTROPHE WHATEVER THERE SHOULD REALLY BE SOMETHING DIVIDING THE FIRST HALF OF THE TITLE FROM THE SECOND Into Darkness does everything a good sequel should do: It continues the story of the first film without rehashing it, further develops the characters we love while introducing some phenomenal new ones, and offers us a good Trek story with the perfect balance of character, comedy, and action.

Also, I actually like the design for the new Klingons. It does a good job maintaining the overall impression whilst making them appear a bit more alien. Bring on a Star Trek 3 focusing on the Klingon/Federation wars, please!

Cheerio, pip pip, and thank you for reading!

Star Trek Into Darkness (Warning: minor spoilers)

As someone who hasn’t delved much into the Star Trek franchise as of yet, Star Trek Into Darkness was quite interesting for me. Despite not having seen the first film, I was able to follow the story very well and was not subject to the pain of having to try and catch up to the character development that has obviously happened previous to the story I watched.
From a movie goers perspective, the overall experience is great. The visuals are pleasing and exciting, the acting is well done, and the cameo appearance of the original Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) was something that even I, as an almost completely uneducated watcher, could appreciate.

Already being a fan of Benedict Cumberbatch after seeing him in the roles of Sherlock Holmes (BBC's Sherlock) and William Pitt (Amazing Grace), I was not disappointed by his performance as the villain Khan -aka- John Harrison in this film. I am looking forward to seeing more of him, as well as several other British stars who are rising in popularity here in North America.
As a Christian, the various expletives throughout were a small annoyance, as well as some of the more obvious examples of James Kirk's slightly promiscuous personality, but something I could pass over with a little difficulty for the sake of the film as a whole.

All in all, it was a movie that I considered worth going to see a second time, and would enjoy seeing again in the future.